SANDUSKY, Ohio, Sept. 3, 2003 - What does it take to turn Cedar Point into a massive Halloween haunt for the amusement park/resort's annual HalloWeekends event - now in its seventh sinister season? A behind-the-scenes look reveals plenty of creative energy generated by an internal team of ghoulish gurus; loads of prep work followed by hours of decorating magic; and scores of screams when the final product is finally unleashed.

Working media interested in getting a preview of HalloWeekends and the painstaking process of how it all comes together can contact the park's Public Relations Department. In the meantime, check out these spooky specifics …

· Big-time surprises can be seen and heard from eerie creatures combing the midway with names such as Grim Reaper, Cyclops, Big Foot, Invisible Man, Headless Horseman and Executioner. Run for your life!

· The NEW Werewolf Canyon is the ultimate in all-out fright, and you definitely don't want to encounter Timber, the leader of the "wolf pack" and instigator of all evil. If you dare to enter Werewolf Canyon, you'll witness more than 30 wolves and werewolves - all of which will send chills up and down your spine.

· Can it be any foggier (and scarier!) in here? Fear fills the air - along with A LOT of ominous fog - in the Fright Zone on the Frontier Trail, an area that's so shocking it's only open in the darkness of night (and not recommended for children). A group of 40 gruesome Screamsters make their home in the grisly Fright Zone where they sneak and creep around and pop out of nowhere when you least expect it!

· Cedar Point leaves no tombstone unturned when decorating the park for HalloWeekends - nearly 1,000 bales of hay, 5,000 individual cornstalks and 10,000 pounds of pumpkins are scattered around the park to create a festive Halloween atmosphere.

· Cedar Point has its own master of Halloween, fondly known as Mr. Halloween - John Taylor, the park's manager of graphic services. Mr. Halloween attends a gargantuan convention and trade show every year that specializes in the hottest Halloween trends - from the wild to the mild - and he then brings back his daunting discoveries to Cedar Point for guests to experience at
HalloWeekends.

· You paid what for that? The notorious Cedar Point hearse, which has become a staple of HalloWeekends, was purchased for approximately $800 in 1997 from a used car lot. Now that's a weird set of wheels!

· The process to transform a human into a Fright Zone monster takes about 45 minutes. Hollywood makeup artists have served as consultants to Cedar Point to ensure the full ghoul appeal!